A Matter of Freedom
by Cravings
Summary: AU A SetoYami Story. Seto is a prince of the proud Roman Empire. What will he do when he finds an equally stuborn spirit in a slave fighter from the south west?


A Matter Of Freedom  
  
By: Cravings of the Lost  
  
Rating: PG-13 … I think  
  
Pairing: Seto/Yami  
  
Spoilers: None that I know of  
  
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! sniff It's so sad  
  
Summary: Definite AU. Nothing real here. Set in the heart of the roman empire! A young son of the emperor finds something intriguing brought in from the new realms to the south. Oooo. Wonder what that is. Does not follow any accurate history!  
  
WARNINGS!: Alright, this will deal with the Ancient Romans slaving practices. If this bothers you, please don't read any further. This is also horribly historically inaccurate. I know it, so please don't bother me with it…. Please??? Because for the purposes of this story, I won't care.  
  
Words: 7189 (please don't kill me…)  
  
Inspiration: A Gladiator Documentary… Can you believe that??? I mean, what the heck?  
  
Craving's Random Quote of the Moment: "Sailing for adventure on the big blue wet thing!"  
  
Seto Kaiba hated the games. They where brutal and such fighters would be better put to use out on the fields of battle trying to conquer the surprisingly resilient people of caramel and honey skin of the far south west. They and their Pharaohs where unreasonably fighting a war that they could not win. This annoyed him, and pleased him to no end.   
  
Such people would make a great addition to his fathers, soon to be his, empire. For Seto Kaiba was the crown prince of the Roman empire. And here he was, sitting within one of the greatest wonders in the empire, it's most prized jewel. The Coliseum.   
  
"Ah, my boy!" The Emperor exclaimed, as he sat down next to his son. Who was draped with a lazy ease over the rather comfortable seats in the royal booth. Long pale legs swept over one side underneath white robes and uncovered by the blue toga that made a perfect match to his piercing eyes. Making, much to his fathers amusement, both the male and female population of the stadium swoon with pure, though very naughty, want. "How go the games? I hear that a wondrous warrior captured on the fronts of the Egyptian battlefield. He should be quite the site to see."  
  
"Really?" Seto asked, interested for about the first time that day, though he only  
  
Feigned a lazy need for conversation. "Surely he can not have been here that long?"  
  
The Emperor chuckled, finally gaining his sons attention. He knew that his eldest son only tolerated the games, saw them as unnecessary, a waste of time and good man power. Yet the reports of the small, compact, unyielding, and if the few prisoners brought back were anything to go by, exotic people of Egypt, had intrigued his son to no end. For no other people had shown such strength in face of their empire.   
  
"In truth, he has been here for a very short time." The Emperor smirked behind the brim of his wine glass. "So short, he still understands nothing of our language. But according to the trainer, there is none that can match him in battle, and it is a miracle that he was caught at all."  
  
"Really?" Seto asked, as he leaned forward, not even pretending to feign disinterest.   
  
"Father! Seto!"  
  
"Ah, there you are my little demon. I was wondering if you would come today." The Emperor smiled as he swept his youngest son into his arms. "So Mokuba, how was your lessons?"  
  
"Senator Pegasus was terrible! I hate lessons!" Mokuba laughed, as Seto brought him into his lap.   
  
"Indeed. He is terrible." Seto agreed. "Nothing but a praised idiot."  
  
"Seto…" The Emperor growled.  
  
"He may be a friend of the Emperors house, but he is certainly no friend of mine." Seto hissed back. "Now tell me more of this Egyptian."  
  
"No need, he is up next." The Emperor directed his, and his sons glances downward.   
  
And indeed, two fighters where emerging. One the strong echo image of the Roman legionary. The secutor with his short sword and long curved shield was most definitely not the Egyptian that had the crowd so riled to see. He was too tall and pale. But this one was one of the strongest in the empire. Undefeated by any, and feared by all. And the Romans in the stands had grown tired of his reign in the stadium.   
  
The only thought that that one had was to win, so that he could spill blood. But the man had more to loose than most. All in that stands had grown bored with him and his all to swift victories. The crowd would have him killed rather than have him finish their battles to swiftly.  
  
But the next figure startled the elder prince to no end, while it did nothing but please the younger of the brothers.   
  
"A retiarius!" The small black haired boy exclaimed.   
  
And indeed it was. The small Egyptian was armed with only a trident and weighted net, with only a small bronze shoulder shield that matched his skin to protect himself.   
  
Seto watched the compact figure move up the thick man who would be his opponent. The small caramel figure moved with the grace of the moon over the water. The referee stood unmoving over the two, thick yet flexible piece of wood held in his hands.   
  
The referee looked up to the Emperor, waiting for the signal that he could begin this next match.   
  
The Emperor in turn looked to his eldest. "My son, would you care to do the honours?"   
  
Seto sat his brother upon his hip, and walked up to the protective netting that protected those in the Emperors enclosure from anything that may try to harm them. "Let the game begin!" He cried as his long white robes billowed with his deep blue toga flying regally behind him with the midnight violet of Mokuba's.   
  
The stick was removed, and the two combatants flew into furious battle. The smaller figure falling behind from the outset of the battle.  
  
"How disappointing…." The Emperor muttered, trying to hide how much he had hoped to see why his army failed against a race of people at least a head smaller than his own countrymen. "I was almost hoping the small one would win."  
  
"Go Egyptian!" Cried Mokuba. Seto smiled, the little one had a true soft spot for the retiarius that fought in the ring. Then again, so did most Romans. Romans loved a good fight, and they loved it even more when the obvious underdog won. "They won't kill him will they? He's doing pretty good against the strong one."  
  
"You have no need to worry." Seto smiled. "It may not look like it, but the Egyptian is winning."  
  
"Seto, you shouldn't raise your brothers expectations like that," Their father growled. "The little one is loosing."  
  
"Keep watching." Seto smirked. He was no stranger to combat, or people holding their skills back when facing him, and the small one was showing too many signs of holding back. Well masked signs, but signs none the less. This would be fun to watch. "Just don't blink, or you'll miss it."  
  
Mokuba watched with unblinking eyes, taking his brothers words far to literally.  
  
Then all in a single instant, the weighted net, that had previously seemed to endlessly hinder the honey skinned figure was aimed directly in the face of his opponent, causing a deadly distraction. For as the secutor made to remove the netting from over his helmet, for the weighted net was to heavy to leave dangling, the helmet itself was heavy enough, the tiny Egyptian leapt agilely over his head. The feeling of cold metal of the trident the other held against the sector's neck the only thing letting the bigger fighter know it was over.  
  
The Roman's in the stands cried out in excitement that could have rattled Olympus itself. Then demanded the death of the once great gladiator. The Emperor nodded, and motioned to his throat.   
  
The Egyptian moved without the slightest remorse and took the life of the one before him before removed the helmet hiding his face.   
  
The crowd cooed at the appearance of the slave fighter. Tall spiked red and black hair, with light blond shooting through the locks like lightning through storm clouds. His face was made in sharp lines, that where still somehow soft. Hard eyes dared the crowd to be displeased with him, as he turned and walked away, back into the depths of the Coliseum.   
  
"Are you impressed?" Their father asked. To his surprise, both young men nodded.   
  
"I want him." Seto demanded, something insatiable being awoken in him at the sight of the small fighter.  
  
The Emperor laughed. "He shall be brought to you then."   
  
"Can I play with him too?" Mokuba asked, "Please Seto? Please?"  
  
Seto merely looked down at his brother. "I suppose I could share." The grin on the boys face was more than enough to make sharing his new prize worth his while. Now to plan his conquest of the fair little warrior. Unlike Mokuba, Seto wanted more than someone to play with, at least not in the innocent way his little brother did.   
  
  
  
Seto awaited the delivery of his new companion with anticipation, and more than a little lust.   
  
The small boy was lead to him was about three or four years younger than he. The exotic features even more stunning up close than from afar.   
  
Blue eyes coldly caressed the smaller from, but to his surprise, the small creature in front of him neither flinched or looked away from his gaze. Instead stunning crimson met his with equal intensity.   
  
Smirking, Seto nodded his approval to the slave master, taking the hand of his new prize. "You are mine." He hissed, gripping the small wrist. "And I shall make you mine more than you could ever wish to be soon. However, I want you to know exactly who you are dealing with when I do, and I can wait."  
  
Next to Seto's own unmistakably high classed and soft material that made up his robes and toga, the boy was just as regal, though not due to his clothing. His clothing was rough and might once have been white, was now soiled to a browning beige. It was too long and nearly drowned the figure hidden within it. No, it wasn't anything of his appearance that made him appear an equal to the heir of the greatest empire the world has yet seen. It was the way the tiny person carried himself. Tall, strong, and though captured, he was anything but tame and safe.   
  
This excited Seto to no end. "Oh, my little desert rose…" He whispered, pressing himself fully against the smaller one in front of him. "This is going to be fun…"  
  
The young man only hissed a warning in the harsh tones of his own language before pulling away, causing laughter from the heir of the empire as he firmly took the wrist of his new friend, pulling him into his own chambers. Both of their sandals clicked against the cool marble of the palace floors and echoed against the walls and pillars of the great palace.   
  
Presently tailors of the all the finest kinds where called to his chambers, taking measurement and other such necessary things so that his companion would be well cared for and clothed.   
  
Then the ice eyed boy pulled his companion into the bathing chamber. "Shall I help you get undressed?" He whispered in the fire eyed boys ear.   
  
The said boy growled low in his throat, forcing himself out of the empire heirs arms. Doing what Kaiba thought was cursing underneath his breath. He walked about three feet away and glared at his newest captor.   
  
Unfazed by the glare that burned hotter than the sun, Seto merely motioned towards the tub, now filled with wonderfully warm water. "You need to get cleaned up." He demanded.  
  
The glare only turned hotter in response.  
  
Tiring of this game, Seto grabbed the boy, startling him into stillness long enough to begin pulling off the tattered robe, and then push him into the baths. Thus causing more than a little splash as the boy hit the water.  
  
The lightning haired boy rose from the depths of the tub sputtering what must have been some form of obscenities with the harsh tone that the boy was shouting at him with.  
  
Seto only rolled his eyes, and joined him. Bathing them both in the cleansing waters. After he was sure that both of them were clean enough for his liking, Seto called for clothing.   
  
In the new clothing the boy looked more like royalty that Seto himself did, thrilling said prince to no end.   
  
Then he escorted the slave boy to his bed chambers, set a tray of food before him, before being called to yet another senate meeting.   
  
When Seto returned he was surprised to hear his brother talking to the boy he would now be sharing his chambers with.  
  
"Why did you throw the food away? Didn't you like it?" Mokuba asked.  
  
And then to Seto's utter surprise, a dark melodic voice answered. "I have not eaten much since I was taken from my home, and I would rather die by my hand than remain in another's possession." The dark caramel skinned boy answered. "I will not belong to anyone."   
  
"You do know who your with now don't you?" Mokuba asked, nervously. "I mean, really and truly?"   
  
"I do, young prince." The Egyptian whispered gently, soothing the child's unease. "I know well. It is in the very way you and your family carry yourselves. Even if I could not understand your language, I would know it still."  
  
"Seto won't be happy. When he finds out about all of this."  
  
"Tell me young prince," The dark voice asked, drawing the small boy into his lap. "Why should I care? All that I love is now lost to me, and I will not dishonour my people by being another mans pet."  
  
"That is not your decision to make." Seto said, stepping into the chamber.   
  
The Egyptian only said something rather smugly in his own language. Turning away from the prince, in his white robes with crimson toga brushing against bare feet, he stood by the window, silhouetting himself with the setting sun, setting the colours of his figure off perfectly.   
  
"Mokuba, It's time for your evening meal." Seto gently reminded his brother. "You don't want to be late and make the kitchen staff angry again."  
  
The small boy nodded happily, oblivious to the anger between the two older boys in the room, and scampered off with a final wave to the new member of the household. "Later Yami!"  
  
"I'll see you later little prince." The Egyptian acknowledged.   
  
"So you will speak to my brother but not to me, Yami?" Seto growled, pushing the boy against the window ledge.   
  
Yami said and did nothing, but met the fierce glare that he was receiving.   
  
Frustrated, Seto only moved enough to throw the smaller boy onto the bed, growl possessively into multi-coloured hair, wrap the smaller boy in a crushing embrace, and slept, much to the smaller ones displeasure.  
  
  
  
The next day dawned dim and rainy. Much to Seto's displeasure. At least this meant that his presence would not be required at the stadium, nor would his pet be required for the games.   
  
The boy was a true entertainer. That was clear from the way he had handled himself in the ring yesterday.   
  
Seto opened blue eyes with more than a tidbit of reluctance, but started awake when he realised that his arms where empty. "Yami?" The roman boy growled, upset that his pet would even think of moving before he had awakened.   
  
His only response was a soft rustling of cloth near the window, where the rain was pouring like wine at one of his fathers parties. "Is there something particularly interesting about the rain?" Seto asked, wrapping his arms around the lithe waist of the small Egyptian.   
  
Said Egyptian huffed, and tried to pull out of his arms. Seto knew now that not only could the exotic creature understand, but speak his language, he tightened his arms, refusing to let the tiny figure go. After all, he knew who he was dealing with, so there was no point in trying to be gentle with the boy any longer.  
  
"You will answer me." Seto hissed, eagerly accepting the challenge the boy was giving. Yami would not be broken. Instead he would have to be tamed, like a stallion. He would be of no use, or skill if broken. Yami was a new and intriguing game to play. And Seto was just the player to play him. "I will no sooner give in than you will."  
  
The boy snorted something in his own tongue, steadfastly refusing to give any ground.   
  
The roman boy laughed, and nodded to the window. "Certainly there is nothing that interesting about the rain?"  
  
The Egyptian turned from the window, only to chatter more, and rather mockingly in his own tongue, then smiled rather smugly. "Then, my prince," He said, spitting the last word with more than a little sarcasm. "What do you say to a small wager?"  
  
"A wager? A Bet?" Seto asked, curiosity peeked. "What kind of a wager?"  
  
"A challenge of my choosing, and if you win, I shall speak with you, in your own tongue." Yami said, gaze still not leaving the window. "And if I win, things remain as they are."  
  
"Agreed." Seto said. "But this challenge must be something we both know."  
  
"Have no fear." Yami said, before grinning in a decidedly maddening way, and took off, right out of the room, toga and darkened skin flashing down the hallways.  
  
Not even truly thinking about it, Seto gave chase. Running through hallways, the boys tore through them like children. Neither gave a care as to who was watching, scolding, or yelling obscenities at two grown young men running through the palace of their emperors.  
  
The chase lasted longer than either expected, though both had different versions of how it ended. Yami expecting to escape or tire his opponent, Seto expecting to catch him moments before the race even truly had ever gotten started. Seto's longer legs, in the end, caught him his exotic prize. Yami was swept into Seto's arms, and with the unexpected weight, Seto lost precious balance, and sent them both into a sopping wet heap in a small open courtyard where the rain soaked their clothing. Causing their hair to matt rather attractively upon their faces, as Seto growled low in his throat, declaring his victory.  
  
The smaller boy sighed, in something akin, but not quite, defeat. "You have won this round."  
  
Seto raised an eyebrow at that, and laughed as the boy tried to free himself from where the unfortunate Egyptian had been trapped beneath him during their tumble. "I have your word you will now speak with me?"  
  
"You had my word before." The crimson eyed boy glared, pride scathed in more than one place.   
  
It was then that something odd awakened in Seto, more than just the sense of possession that prompted him to bring a dangerous slave into his chambers. More than the supposed loneliness that Mokuba had told him he projected with his royal status. Yami shuddered, the first sign of vulnerability to show since he had first met the roman prince.   
  
Seto was amazed at the sheer beauty of not only the strength he knew was in the boys form and spirit, but the same needs that now seemed to sleep in crimson depths, that had now fully awakened in his own. He wanted this… this feeling, whatever it had the nerve to be, to blossom between them. To grow and make them both whole.  
  
Yami shuddered again. "Can we move?" He asked from where Seto's body still held him to the ground. "I'm cold."  
  
Seto shook himself out of his reverie, and helped the smaller boy up from the ground. "Come," He said, rolling in the sound of the others voice. For now, it was not only directed at him in mocking tones of a tongue he did not understand, but in the melodic tones of his own language. "We shall find dry clothes, food, and a warm bed inside."  
  
  
  
Seto had been vaguely disturbed when his pet had refused to eat, but that was no longer so. Yami's pride kept him from eating food in the house of the enemy. Just as Seto would not accept the food of Yami's country had their roles been reversed. Now he was simply full blown out worried for the smaller man.   
  
Yami would take nothing more than water, and even then, He drew it himself from the small servants fountain deep within the Emperors Palace.   
  
Seto watched over the next two weeks in absolute despair as Yami's caramel skin turned an almost deathly pale, once eyes alight with passion and distain for those that had taken him away from his home were bright with fever. Nothing could encourage the Egyptian enough to even allow a spoonful of broth through his ailing lips, and not even Mokuba's pleas would make the other proud boy listen.  
  
All of this the Roman prince watched with growing despair, worry, and newly found love. Never before would this ever have been admitted to, but seeing the thing of his hearts desire, lying on his own bed, dying of his own pride was to much for him to bare.  
  
It reminded him of the tiny bird, Maeve.  
  
Once, before even Mokuba had been born, Seto had possessed the tiny songbird, brought for him from the eastern reaches of his fathers empire. It had been the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and he pampered the tiny thing with all that he'd had.   
  
But the delicate creature had still grown sick. So sick, that it no longer sang when the tiny prince entered the room, as it had before. Nor would it fly around the room finding the sweet fruits Seto set out for it either.   
  
And now, his new acquisition was doing the same thing.  
  
The bird had become homesick, tired of living up to it's own pride, and had begun to take the journey home, not in the physical world, but the spiritual.   
  
Yami was now doing the same thing. He was trying to return to the arms of Ra, Isis, Horus, Amune, Osirius, and all of the other names he whispered silently in Seto's chambers in the still of the night when he thought Seto was sleeping soundly, holding him to his chest as if to give the tiny Egyptian his own body warmth.   
  
Seto had sought the wisest and the best bird keepers in all the land.   
  
They had all mourned the princes loss, but told him that the songbird herself was as proud as himself.   
  
Two choices where given to the young prince, no more than fives years old. The first was to keep the bird, enjoy her songs and beauty while they lasted for perhaps a week more, or to take the bird out to the royal merchants, and demand that they take the tiny bird back east to her homeland.  
  
He had made a choice for the tiny songbird, his queen of song, just as he was about to make the same choice for his unacknowledged love, a love he would never admit to. For a prince of the greatest nation ever to grace this earth to fall in love with a slave from a land that refused to bow to their wishes was unheard of and would be looked upon as treason. So his love for this new treasure within his keeping would remain locked away.   
  
All of the best Doctors had seen to Yami, and they all told him the same thing. Either the boy would die, or his will and pride would. With either choice he would loose. Loose the pride, will, and sheer magnetism that had drawn him to the boy in the first place and be left with a shell of what he once was, or….  
  
Marching into his main chamber, where the doctors and servants waited on his sick companion, from where he had been contemplating his decision, startling all those present. "Leave. Now." He demanded on a voice that sounded like Jupiter himself.   
  
Everyone fled from the room without further vocal encouragement, though a few death glares where tossed about to those that lingered to long in their hurry to leave the chambers.   
  
"Yami?" Seto asked carefully.  
  
Fevered eyes opened, far to bright for Seto's liking. Just like the bird he's owned so long ago.  
  
A sudden swell of anger lifted up his soul, and sheer desire to own the now fragile thing in his bed almost fled the main purpose in his coming here from his mind… not to mention it was now testing the limits of his sanity.  
  
"You can not have me like this," Yami whispered gently from where he was struggling to sit upright from the tight hold the sheets had on his form.  
  
"Get up." Seto demanded, pulling the weak boy unto his feet.  
  
Yami stumbled only once, before his pride kept him firmly on his own two feet. "What is it that you want from me, prince?" Yami growled. "And make it swift, I am in no mood for a competition of wills."  
  
The Roman prince said nothing in return to the biting comment from the exotic boy. He merely pulled the Egyptian down the hallways and out of the palace into the moonlit night.   
  
"Yami?" Seto asked, facing the other boy with a face full of concern. "Would you be able to find your way back home?"  
  
"Always." Was the firm answer he got. "Egypt calls to my very blood, and it burns me not to be upon her soft sands."  
  
Seto smiled despite himself. The one thing he could do without a single hesitation as the one thing that he had ever truly desired was about to be set free. Just as he had sent the tiny songbird Maeve, all those years ago, back home, so would the Egyptian be sent from him. By Seto's own will. A final act of possession, the act of giving freedom.  
  
"Stay here and do not move." Seto demanded.  
  
Yami glared at the crowned prince, but sensing the underlying desperation, he did, if only this once, what the older man wanted. His patience, or lack thereof, was shortly rewarded, though not in any way he would have expected.   
  
Seto was leading a pure white stallion to him, and by the looks of him, it was a war stallion at that.   
  
"What is this?" Yami asked.  
  
"You want to go home correct?" Seto asked, but he continued before the smaller one had a chance to answer. "And I want you to be well and healthy. That leaves me with a choice. I can keep you to myself, and see you waste away before my eyes, see that I have taken from the world one of it's treasures by keeping it captive, or I can send you home, knowing that it was I who held you if only for a time, and that it was I who ensured the continuation of that beauty in the world."  
  
"I don't understand…" Yami mumbled.   
  
Seto smiled serenely at the boy who's skin had paled and eyes had brightened, all with sheer will to be home. "I'm letting you go. Take the horse and flee as far and as fast as you can. I will keep them until morning."  
  
Yami smiled then, the first true one he had given since entering, no since leaving the boarders of his precious home. "Thank you, Seto." The smaller boy bowed, then mounted and was off into the night before Seto could even say another word.   
  
  
  
When morning came there was quite the commotion. Something about his prize horse being stolen, and his little slave escaping. And the palace was in a panic, and Seto was having the time of his life shouting at everyone who had ever come in contact with Yami about how he was going to have their heads.   
  
About a week later, as everything died down, and there were no stories of a renegade slave on the loose anywhere in the empire, Seto finally allowed himself to relax. Both he and Yami had gotten away without a single burn, or at least that's what he thought.  
  
"Brother?"  
  
Seto looked down in surprise to see Mokuba crying at his side. "Yes Mokuba? Why are you crying?"  
  
"I miss Yami…" The little boy cried. "Why did you let him go?"  
  
Seto stood completely still, shell shocked at the little revelation. "Mokuba, come with me for a minute…" He swept his brother into his arms as he cried. "You know that Yami was sick?"  
  
Mokuba nodded as they reached the sanctuary of the palace shine to the great god Jupiter. Together they sat upon the floor, basking in the sunlight that filtered down from the open temple roof, and the fine tiled mosaics that decorated the floors and walls with only the most vibrant colours.   
  
"Yami is… like a bird."  
  
"A bird?" Mokuba asked  
  
"Yes," Seto told him, carefully pondering his next words. "Some birds, like those kept here in the temples are happy being seen and owned by others. Others, in fact most others are unhappy like that. They want to be free to stretch their wings and fly amongst the clouds, and if they are caged, they die."  
  
"Like Yami was dying?"  
  
Seto smiled graciously at the small boys understanding. "Yes, like Yami."  
  
"So you let him go to be sure that he was going to be okay? Like the priests let the sick temple birds go?"  
  
"Yes." Seto frowned slightly then, and put on a little pout. "So are you still mad at me for letting our friend go?"  
  
Mokuba thought about this for a grand total of a quarter second. "Nope. I'm happy now. I'm happy that he's happy." And with that the smaller prince went out of the temple, good mood fully restored to it's former heights, as some of the palace children called after him to play. The tiny prince vanished from sight, so much like the one the elder prince wished for now.   
  
The roman turned to leave, but not before a hauntingly familiar song filled his consciousness. Seto turned, only to find, a tiny songbird singing on the windowsill, as if in promise. The bird that like the one who had so subtly stolen his heart, whom he had let go all those years ago.   
  
Smiling as he left the temple complex, 'Perhaps there is still hope…' He thought as he stepped out into the warm sunshine.  
  
  
  
Time passed, as it always did within the empire. And as it passed, the empire passed into new hands.   
  
The former emperor had fallen ill, and now his twenty year old elder son had taken his place. Seto was now Emperor Seto, lord of all that belonged to Rome. Yet he was travelling, in his third year of rule, to see a country that he had only heard about. Whose stories had only passed though the lips of his generals, and the boy who he had once, for about two weeks called his own.   
  
Mokuba rode beside him, towards what they weren't quite sure. Towards supposed truce agreements, perhaps even trade ones if all went well. Seto however was sure that there was more to his younger brothers presence here than for the smaller of the brothers to pick up some diplomatic experience.   
  
His own black horse and Mokuba's brown trotted heavily through the desert, as the brothers thought about a friend, barely made, and then forever lost. Perhaps they were both hoping to see a glimpse of the Egyptian that had captured their hearts.   
  
"How much longer general?" Mokuba asked, turning his attention away from the endless sea of sand that was spread out before them.   
  
"Another hours travel my prince, and you shall see the light of the pyramids, and from there it is merely another three hours ride to the city, and then another hour to the palace of the Pharaoh." The general laughed. "We should be in time for a early supper. You should enjoy them my lords."   
  
Seto merely nodded.  
  
In an hour, just as expected, the gleam of sunlight off of polished white limestone came into view, and they were magnificent. Almost as magnificent as the temples back home… almost.  
  
"Ah, so these are our long awaited lords from the north, hmm?" The tall blonde man asked from the veiled doorway to what Seto supposed to be the royal court was held. "I suppose I don't have to tell you to be on your best behaviour? Our pharaoh is a very proud man, and you would do well to respect him, regardless of what his appearance may lead you to assume."  
  
"And may I ask who are you?" Seto asked, already tired of this mans blathering. After all it was only in honour of Yami's memory he was here at all. After all, if it hurt the man just to be away from his country, Seto didn't think what kind of pain he would bring by upending the country.  
  
"I am Mahado." The blonde haired man answered. "Loyal advisor and high priest to my Pharaoh. But I am afraid that I will have to show you both to your rooms. Pharaoh is currently out riding. You arrived earlier than expected. He shall not be returning any earlier than dawn."  
  
"Very well," Kaiba said with a wave of his hand. "Just be sure to have us escorted to your Pharaoh as soon as he's ready to greet us."  
  
Mahado smiled at the young emperor's acceptance that this was Pharaohs land and not his own, the fact that he accepted the fact that this was Pharaoh's call put the older man in Mahado's agreeable, if not his friendly, books.  
  
So he bowed amiably and led the Emperor and his brother to their rooms, and though he believed that Pharaoh would not be back tonight, that they would see him when Ra first rose in the morning. But before that, a diner.  
  
"A feast is more like it!" Mokuba exclaimed, the tables were laden with sweet meats, fruits, fish, wine, and any other thing any person could have wanted.   
  
Mahado laughed at the boy, "And this is only what remains of diner. You know the way to your rooms, and I fear that I must retire. Feel free to roam the palace and the grounds, and I'll see you both at first light."  
  
  
  
Seto was awake the same moment the sun was, and it annoyed him to no end. The windows were only blocked by thin linen curtains, that allowed the early overly cheerful, southern sunlight into his chambers. Seto growled at that. He hated mornings… rainy or sunny. In short, Seto was not what you would call a morning person.   
  
The sound of horses hooves however was enough to rouse his still sleeping sense of curiosity.   
  
He pushed off the sheets and moved through silken curtains to see a marvellous view of the courtyard, in all it's oasis like glory. Trees and flowers of all kinds dwelled there, and so to did many animals. Seto counted no less than five falcon, three cats and six dogs torturing said bird and felines. Frog and songbirds melted their songs together to form a breathtaking melody in the early morning sky, as if paying homage to those that were entering it.   
  
But that was not what so tightly enslaved Seto's notice. It was the man leading the group of hunters back into the palace grounds. Seto's heart flew at the perfect compliment of copper skin with ruby eyes and hair highlighted with gold set off perfectly to the sunrise. "Yami!" He called before he could stop himself.  
  
"Hail!" Yami shouted back, from atop of very familiar white stallion . "Are you awake for the morning, Lord? If you are, would you care to join me for breakfast?"  
  
"It would be my pleasure!" Seto laughed in pure blissful oblivion. Yami had made it! He had beaten all the odds and made it safely back into his own home, and back into the Pharaoh's own house! "Shall I fetch Mokuba?"  
  
Yami let out a string of heartfelt, joyful laughter. "But of course! I would be delighted to entertain you both!"  
  
So it was that the three of them came together to eat in the large hall of the kings of Egypt, talking and laughing like old friends. Happily they spoke over breads, milks, and fine wine.   
  
"What brings you all the way from your great city of Rome?" Yami asked.  
  
"Mostly you." Mokuba spilt before a diplomatic answer could even be thought out, much less given.   
  
Both of the roman boys blushed as that admission was made.  
  
"Truly?" Yami asked, smirk decorating his face, with a cocked eyebrow. "Why would that be?"  
  
"We were worried about you…" Seto silently swore. He hated the 'tinglies' that being in Yami's presence caused, even after so long. It just plain wasn't fair that something that was supposed to belong to him had so much control over him, it wasn't! "But more importantly, we're here to open truce agreements with you king, or Pharaoh, I suppose. We want to open trade."  
  
Yami's smirk remain in place, declaring plainly that the young man saw through the rather meek lie that Seto had just spun. "Indeed. I thought as much." He said, reclining with his goblet and taking a small sip. "There is simply little other reason for you to come so far, regardless of feelings for me, right?"  
  
The blush that decorated the Romans faces now deepened into a rather attractive magenta. "But, enough on that note. What station do you hold in your kings house, that you should be able to entertain his honoured guests while discussing the futures of both realms?"  
  
Yami laughed again, one that Seto was beginning to think he didn't like. It seemed that when Yami did this, he knew something that others did not. It irritated the Roman Emperor to no end. "You shall see as soon as we go into the audience chamber. I think you will be surprised."  
  
"My dear Yami, nothing you could do would surprise me." Seto said, leaning into his own seat.   
  
"Then," Yami smiled, "You do not know me at all." Then gazing out of the window, Yami stood. "I think it would do us good to find the Audience chamber now. It would be unwise to keep the others waiting."  
  
Seto sat up mournfully, as Mokuba rose with more grace than the other two. It was obvious that Mokuba wanted to see more of the capitol. Being the observant thing he was, Yami sent for guards and a guide for the roman prince, gave him a fair amount of tender and sent him off into the city, claiming that the younger of his two guests would like the city better than the palace.   
  
Together the remaining young men made their way through the palace, Yami somehow managing to look as though he was more at home here than anywhere else.   
  
"Here it is," Yami said, gesturing to another of the linen curtain doors. "The royal audience chamber… are you ready for surprise number one?"  
  
"I hate surprises." Seto grumbled.  
  
"Announcing Pharaoh Atemu!" The shouter called into the room, and with that Yami went through the curtain, effectively leaving a stunned Roman Emperor in his wake.   
  
"Announcing Pharaoh's honoured guest," The caller cried, "Emperor Kaiba of Rome."  
  
The rest of the morning was filled with debates over territory, all of which Yami won, seemingly without conscious effort, and without Seto even knowing about half of the victories until the end of the morning.   
  
After that they retired for a light lunch. Fruits, melons, and a little bread served with wine. All the while, Seto marvelled at the strength that Yami had managed to hide from him, the mannerisms of royalty that were so ingrained into them both, and the gait of his walk, all had been suppressed and hidden during his stay in Rome.  
  
And still later, he found himself awaiting the evening meal with the Pharaoh walking at his side in the starlit gardens.   
  
"So you are the Pharaoh?" Seto pondered aloud. "Somehow that makes a great deal of sense."  
  
"One would hope." Seto could hear the smirk hidden in his voice.  
  
"So what shall I call you? Atemu, or Yami?"  
  
"Either will do, as both are my name."  
  
"And how many more surprises should I expect?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
An enraged sapphire glare was sent his way in the now pale and cool desert. "You said 'that was the first surprise' this morning before the audience chamber. How many more should I be expecting?"  
  
Yami looked thoughtful at this point. "I think just one more."  
  
"You think?" Seto asked in an exasperated tone. "Well then lets have it…"  
  
Silence.   
  
As Seto turned to look at the smaller ruler, it seemed that for the first time today, the Egyptian was struggling to find the words that would correctly convey what he wanted to say. "Could you just show me then?" Seto asked.   
  
The wicked gleam was back in his companions eye, and Seto was beginning to wish he had said nothing, and just enjoyed the company of the other.  
  
"You'll have to catch me first!" Yami cried, before taking off down one of the many garden paths.  
  
Seto gave a cry of outraged despair before taking off after the smaller king. Two hours the two kings played a stunning game of run, hide, and seek. Eventually, Seto longer legs, and the shouting of an extraordinarily angry gardener, caused the Pharaoh to falter and ended them both in a heap on the soft turf with Yami yelling something back in the tongue of his own people, laughing all the while.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"He was yelling at us." Yami explained simply.  
  
"What was he yelling?"  
  
"Something about Ra damned children tearing through his Pharaohs garden in all hours of the night." Yami laughed, "And I said that kings could be young at times as well."  
  
Seto laughed at the absurdity of it all, a king being told off by one of his gardeners for playing in it. "So do I get my other surprise now?"  
  
Yami seemed to deflate a bit then, and gently reached up and placed rose petal lips upon Seto's own. Seto didn't even take the time to stiffen in surprise, he merely ran his tongue along the smaller mans lower lip before pulling back.   
  
Blushing as deep as his hair and averted his face, Yami sent his ruby orbs to the soft sands that were softly reflecting the moonlight.  
  
"Wow…" Seto mumbled softly to the cool night, pulling the smaller man into his lap and descended for another mind blowing joining of lips.   
  
Both panting as they parted, Yami turned his face away to hide a rather impressive blush that seemed to take up a enduring residence upon his cheeks.   
  
"Why?" Seto asked, gently easing Yami's eyes back to his own.  
  
"I-" There was a pause that seemed to stretch out into eternity. "I still owe you my freedom." The smaller man whispered. "I don't think I ever got it back."  
  
"Perhaps then, you would care to show me some of the more… private rooms of your palace?" Grinned the young Emperor, whose possession had finally returned to where it had belonged ever since the beginning. Safely guarded away from the world in his arms… and hopefully soon, his chambers.  
  
In short, it was the beginning of a long and prosperous agreement between the fabled worlds of Rome and Egypt.   
  
END 


End file.
